Chassis of motor-driven vehicles



Oct. 11, 1938.l F, NALllNGER 2,132,963

CHASSIS OF MTOR-DRIVEN VEHICLES Filed Feb. 2o, '193e 2 sheets-Sheet 1 a I /CZ rfi;

Jn venor ggfjjjf Oct. 1l, 1938. F. NALLINGER 2,132,963

CHASSIS OF MOTOR-DRIVEN VEHICLES Y Filed Feb. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jn ven for' Patented Oct. 11, 1938 omissis on Moron-pulver: vEmcLEs Fritz Nallinger, Stuttgart, Germany, assignor to Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart- Unterturkheim, German Application February 20, 1936, Serial No. 64,818 In Germany February 18, 1935 v 13 claims. w1; 28o-112) My invention relates to an improvement of f the chassis of motor-driven vehicles and, more particularly, to a chassis of the type in which a rigid axle is suspended by means of frictionless springs incapable of taking up lateral forces.

The invention resides essentially in such a guidance of the axle in vertical direction by suitable means thatincreasing departure of the axle from its normal middle position is opposed by an increasing resistance. Among other advantages the invention has the benecial effect that the axle will be more quickly returned to its normal position upon a deflection -of the springs, and that a comparatively larger resistance is oiIered '15 to violent shocks than to smaller shocks. This will improve the riding qualities of the vehicle without aiecting the softness of the spring function on a road of normal unevenness.

My invention is of particular importance for vehicles in which frictionless springs, such as helical springs or torsional rods, are employed, as

it permits the utilization of the advantages of such springs to their full extent and avoids the liability of objectionableoscillations being-produced uponv larger shocks. At the same time,

lateral forces acting between the axle and the frame are better taken up andthe lateral stability of the vehicle is improved. The manner in which the resistance increases may be ladapted to the 30 conditions existing in any particular case. The

increase may be a continuous one or it may be non-continuous. It is particularly advantageous in some :instances if the increase in `resistance offered to the axle is not proportional but un- 35 proportional to. the amount of departure of said axle'from its midposition, such increase being equally eective upon either upward or downward motion of the axle. n

Further objects and advantages of this inven- 40 tion will be apparent from consideration of the Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the' lnven tion,

Figs. 4.43 illustrate three dierent embodiments 50 of the guiding and supporting means.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a is a frame, b an axle gear rigidly or resiliently attached thereto and c is a.

rigid axle connecting the wheel and held in position relative to the frame by suitable means such 55 as triangular struts 'I'he axle c and the struts d constitute an axle frame pivoted to the frame of the vehicle. The wheels are driven by universal joint shaft e and the springs of the vehicle are preferably lfrictionless helical springs such as springs f. For laterally supporting the a'xle rela- 5 tive to the frame, a guiding bar g is attached to the frame in a substantially vertical position. Two rollers i adapted to roll on the guide bar g when the axle springs are deflected, are mounted on the axle. Springs h may be interposed be- 10 tween the axle and the rollers.

In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the axle and the axle gear are combined to constitute a rear axle structure k which is supported relative to the frame by means illustrated as a ball-joint l. 15

The axle structure carries a guiding bar g whereas the rollers i are mounted on the frame. The springs of the chassis are torsional rods m. attached to the' frame by any suitable means and' adapted to be operated by means of links 'n piv- 20 otally connected to the axle, and to the torsional rods respectively.

Various embodiments of the guiding means are illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

In Fig. 4, the guiding bar a is provided with two 25 curved guiding faces al of continuous curvature. The line of smallest distance of the guiding faces is in the central plane H-H and the'guiding faces diverge in upward and in downward direction in such a manner that the increase of the distance of both faces relative to the same portions of the stroke, that is to say, the angle a formed by the tangents of the curve with the vertlcal.1ine

-M-M becomes gradually larger. If desired, the curvature of the guiding face may continuously or partially increase from the center.

The rollers il may consist of rubber, or any similar resilient material, and are mounted on studs by means of needle-roller bearings.` UponA a deection of the springs, they will arrive in such a position as il in which they are deformed because ofthe greater width of the guiding bar and are pressed against the guiding bar with an increased pressure. Instead of 'using rollers oi rubber, I may mount the rollers resiliently, for instance in the manner indicated in Fig. 1, or I may use resiliently mounted rubber rollers.l v

The guiding and supporting means illustrated in Fig. 5 diil'er from the afore-described arrangement substantially bythe shape ofthe guiding bar, the faces g5 of the guiding bar forming a substantially constant angle a with a vertical line,

'whereby the ampliilca'tion of the eilective resistance will increase substantially in proportion to the deflection of the springs. This construction comparatively simple .and inexpensive. 'Ihe guiding members may 'p6 formed by sliding pieces i5 springed by springs h5, for instance.

Fig'. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the guiding resistance'is increased ina substantially stepwise manner, the gniding faces 96 being so curved as to `converge towards the vertical plane again at a certain distance from the horizontal middle plane H-H. Therefore, the guiding resistance remains substantially constantA or increases'but little up to4 thefdesired point. The rollers i6 may be carried by resiliently' mounted levers shown as o.

The guiding bars maybe connected with the frame or with the axle, whereas the rollers orguiding memb'ers'are mounted on the other one of these two eiements. Similarly, the axle gear may be attached to the frame in all of these cases (that to say, also in the embodiment of Fig. 3 for instance) or may be arranged in the axle cas ing corresponding-to Fig. 3 (for instance also in Figs. 1 and 2) The guiding faces and the guiding members maybefconstructed and combined with each other inany'deslred'manner. The curves may be designed for ar; upward movement of the axle in a different .m'annerthan for a downward tegrally interconnected with the body or coach worir of the ivehicle. It will be seen that I have provided a construc- .tion which satises ,the objects enumerated above and one which constitutes a valuable advance in theart. While Iv have shown the invention in certain physical embodiments it is to be understood that modications of the structure shown may be made by thosev skilled in-this art without departing from my invention as expressed in the claims whichv follow.

what IV ciaim is:

verse of saidframe, means for pivoting ,the other end of said linkage means to said axle for movement in a'direction substantially transverse to said frame, andadditional means for resisting transverse movement of 'said axle.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein. said torsional spring rneans are positioned transverse Jof said frame.

3..The combinationaccording to claim 1 in which said, additional `means comprises spring means.

d.. In a vehicle, in combinatioma main vehicle 1. In a vehicle having a frame, an axle, wheels frame, a subsidiary axle frame comprising an axle, wheels mounted on saici pivoting said axle frame to said main frame for transverse and vertical motion relative thereto, relatively soft spring means intermediate Vsaid main frame and said axle frame for absorbing relatively light vertical shocks upon said wheels while -permitting relative transverse movement thereof, and second spring means intermediate said'irame and said axle frame for absorbing relatively heavy vertical shocks upon said wheels, said second spring means being s o constructed and arranged as to guide 'the central part of said axle frame for movement in a substantially vertical plane and for lresiliently resisting transverse movement of the axle relative to the vehicle frame.

5. The combination -according to claim 4 in which said second spring means are so constructed as to -oier rapidly increasing resistance to vertical motion of said axle frame beyond a certain small normal motion.

6. The combinatie-n according to claim 4 in which saidrst spring means comprise torsion bars. i

which said rst spring means comprise heiical springs.

8. In a vehicle, in combination, a frame, an' axle, road rWheels mounted onsai-:l axle, connecting means between' said axle-and frame, and relatively softv spring means intermediate said frame andaxle for absorbing relatively light -ver ticalfshocks, said connecting means and spring means being so constructedas to permit relative Atransverse movement of said axle and frame, and

an auxiliaryspring means intermediate said iframe. and said axle for absorbing relatively heavy vertical shocks upon said wheels, said auxiliary spring means being so constructed and arranged as toguide the central part of said axle for movement in a substantially vertical plane of the axie relative to the vehicleframe.

9. The combination according to claimv 8 in which said .second spring means are se constructed as to offer rapidly increasing resistance to vertical motion of said axle frame beyond a certain small normal motion.

10. The combination according to claim 8 in which said rst spring means comprise torsion bars.A

"11. The combination'accor'ding -to claim 8' in which said ilrst springmeans comprise helical springs.

12. The combination :according to claim 8 in `which the connecting means and auxiliary' spring means are so constructed and arranged that the axle is free to rock about an axis near the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

13. The combination according to claim 8 in whichthe auxiliaryspririg means is so constructed and arranged thatfits reactionv increases unproportionally to the distance theaxle is moved from; its normal position.

' FRITZ NALLI- IGER and'for resiliently resisting transverse movement r 25 7. The combination according to claim 4 in Y Y, 

